GAMBLING ADDICTION WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE IN 1968 AND TODAY

Monday, 3. September 2012

WHAT GAMBLING LOOKED LIKE IN 1968 / TODAY

I stopped gambling on April 10, 1968. At that time gambling in America looked very different than it does today. Legal casinos were only in Las Vegas. There was no such thing as Internet gambling. There were no cell phones. There were no credit cards or ATM machines. There weren’t any check cashing privileges at racetracks. Off track betting, Simulcasting , or telephone betting did not exist. There were no phones at the racetrack. Only three states had a lottery. Riverboats were a tourist attraction along the Mississippi River (not gambling facilities). There were no toll free 800 numbers to call to buy information on what games to bet on. Gamblers Anonymous and Gam-Anon family groups, only had meetings in a few states. The Superbowl was only in its’ second year and there was no Monday night football.

Compulsive gambling is a progressive disease, much like an addiction to alcohol or drugs. In many cases, the gambling addiction is hidden until the gambler becomes unable to function without gambling, and he or she begins to exclude all other activities from their lives. Inability to stop gambling often results in financial devastation, broken homes, employment problems, criminal acts and suicide attempts.

Since 1980 the American Psychiatric Association has included a diagnosis for Pathological (Compulsive) Gambling in their manual. It is considered a disorder that responds to treatment.

Compulsive gambling has some similarities to other addictions (i.e. chemical addiction or alcoholism). The gambler uses gambling to “get high” or to numb themselves, by escaping into a dream world of gambling. However, compulsive gamblers do not ingest anything and therefore, do not have any visual signs such as track marks, dilated pupils. This adds to the denial of this illness, since the person still appears “normal”.

The gambler is eventually able to remove themselves from reality to the point of being totally obsessed with gambling. Eventually, they will do anything to get the money with which to stay in “action”. They will spend all their time and energy developing schemes in order to get the money to continue gambling. Lying becomes a way of life for the gambler. They will try to convince others and themselves that their lies are actually truths.

For the spouse or family member of the gambler,ESPEPIALLY THE SPOUSE OF THE FEMALE GAMBLER, the effects of compulsive gambling can be devastating. Financially, emotionally and mentally, they will be drained of all their energy and resources. The worst thing any family member can ever do is to bail out the compulsive gambler from their financial pressures. Money is the “drug” that the gambler uses.

Our society views gambling as “fun and games”. For many people, that is the case.

Gambling is glamorized in the movies, on TV and in the media. One prime example is the fact that when you open your local newspaper you can get the odds and point spreads on almost every sporting event that will take place, nationwide, even though you can’t place a legal bet in America, except in Las Vegas. Some newspapers are even running “poker” columns and treating the game of poker as a “sport”. Another example is the sports talk shows and nightly news shows that tell you who to pick and what point spreads to take.

The lottery has become a national event on a daily basis. Sometimes it’s the lead story on the nightly news. I’ve seen advertising when a Governor of a state, holds up a lottery ticket and suggests that citizens are helping worthy causes if they buy a lottery ticket. If that same Governor had held up a bottle of alcohol and suggested that sales taxes would help the state, people would be outraged. When I was the Executive Director of the Council on Compulsive Gambling of NJ, we hired Gallop to do a survey. Two of the questions were: “have you ever played illegal numbers?” (31 % said they did.) and “do you play legal lottery?’( 81% said they did).

Poker is sweeping the nation and the world. It is the hottest thing on college campuses. It is easier to play poker then it is to buy cigarettes or a can of beer on campuses all over the country. In the 37 years that I have been helping compulsive gamblers, I have never seen anything explode like poker has. One third of all the callers to our help line (888 LAST BET) are either parents of young gamblers or young people who have the problem. I have spoken to college students who play poker day and night. They even play during class. It has become such an enormous craze that poker paraphernalia is one of the biggest selling items in stores, today.

You can’t surf the TV without seeing some kind of poker tournament being televised, and you can’t be on your computer without seeing a pop up about poker or receiving an email inviting you to come to a poker site to play. They often invite you to play for free, and after awhile you will get invited to switch over to live poker games for money.

Some of the people (both youngsters and adults) are becoming addicted to poker. Not everyone who plays, will develop a compulsive gambling problem, but there are those who will get caught up in the craze and then cross that invisible line which will lead to destruction. Since Compulsive Gambling is an impulse disorder, the fact that someone can “play” at any time, day or night and anywhere (home, college dorm or office) increases the chances of the person becoming addicted.

According to a Harvard study a few years ago, 4.67% of young people have a gambling problem. Experts tell us that the earlier a person starts to gamble, the greater the risk of them becoming a compulsive gambler. In another survey, 96% of adult male recovering gamblers’ stated that they started gambling before the age of 14. With this poker explosion, we envision that the average age of people seeking help for a gambling problem will be much younger in the next few years. It seems to me that there must be education and prevention programs for young people (from grade school through college) similar to those programs for drugs and alcohol.

I think it’s important to note that it is not just young people that have this problem.

The gambling experience (both legal and illegal) is much more available in our society, today. This disease cuts across all cultural, social and economic aspects of society. I believe that there are more active compulsive gamblers, today, then in any other time in our history.

I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT YEARS AGO WHEN SOMEONE GOT TO A GAMBLERS ANONYMOUS MEETING IF THERE WERE 1 OR 2 WOMEN AT THE MEETING THAT WAS RARE. TODAY IF YOU GO TO A GAMBLERS ANONYMOUS MEETING IN SOME CASE YOU WILL SEE MORE WOMEN THEN MEN.TWENTY YEARS AGO 5% OF CALLS TO HOTLINES WERE FROM WOMEN TODAY SOME HOTLINES REPORT OVER 55% OF THE CALLS ARE FROM WOMEN GAMBLERS.

SO MANY CASES OF WOMEN ARE SHOWING UP IN COURTS TODAY BECAUSE THEY EMBEZZLED $ TO SUPPORT THERE GAMBLING ADDICTIONS.

ABOUT ½ THE CALLS WE GET ON OUR

888 LAST BET HELPLINE ARE FROM WOMEN NSEEKING HELP

The shame and guilt hits the female gambler harder than with the male,” he said. “When I talk with male gamblers, sometimes it takes two or three times before they go for help. Sometimes it takes two or three years before a female seeks help.

You can get up in the middle of the night and gamble on the Internet in your birthday suit And you don’t even have to put gasoline in your car to travel anyplace.

Last summer, I did a segment for NBC’s “Today” show about gambling. A 57-year-old woman videotaped it and watched it at least once a week. She finally called A YEAR LATER for help.

There is help for the compulsive gambler and their families in the form of Gamblers Anonymous and Gam-Anon, internationally. Gamblers Anonymous is a 12- step, self help program for the compulsive gambler. Gam-Anon is for those affected by a gambling problem.

Some people may have a need for professional treatment services, as well. Unfortunately, there are not that many facilities available. In addition, when the gambler “bottoms out”, he/ or she usually has no funds to pay for these services. Most insurance companies do not cover compulsive gambling treatment. A few states have funded programs, but more is needed.

People need to understand that although compulsive gambling is a devastating addiction, you can recover and live a productive and wonderful life. I know from my own experience that this is possible. I, like many others, lived every day in the grips of hopelessness because I couldn’t stop gambling. I used to go to bed at night hoping and praying that I would not wake up so that I wouldn’t have to face the next day. Today, I can’t wait to wake up in the morning and enjoy another day without gambling.

ARNIE WEXLER CCCG

Arnie and his wife Sheila run a consulting firm to help educate the public on the problem of compulsive gambling. They can be reached at aswexler.com .

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COMPULSIVE GAMBLING ADDICTION RELAPSE VS RECOVERY

Monday, 3. September 2012

RELAPSE VS RECOVERY BY ARNIE WEXLER CCGC =========================

DO I FEEL UNHAPPY ABOUT MY LIFE

HAVE I STOPPED GOING TO GA EVERY WEEK

HAVE I FORGETTEN TO LIVE 1 DAY AT A TIME

IS MY SPOUSE NOT GOING TO GAMANON

I DONT REMEMBER HOW I FELT AT MY 1ST MEETING OF GA

DO I FEEL THINGS ARE NOT MOVING FAST ENOUGH IN MY LIFE

AM I STILL LIVING WITH MY OWN GUILT

AM I ASSOCIATING WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE GAMBLING

HAVE I STOPPED MY INVOLVEMENT WITH RECOVERYING PEOPLE

DO I FEEL DEPRESSED

IS MY EGO TO BIG

DO I FEEL I CAN GAMBLE NORMALLY

AM I LIVING OVER MY HEAD

AM I NOT FOLLOWING MY PRESSURE GROUP FORMS

DO I NOT HAVE A SPONSOR AT THIS TIME

IF YOU ANSWER YES TO SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS YOU COULD BE ON SHAKEY GROUND

AND NEED TO WATCH OUT FOR A RELAPSE !

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RECOVERY FROM GAMBLING ADDICTION– ROADBLOCKS

Monday, 3. September 2012

HOW DO WE COPE WITH BUMPS IN THE ROAD IN OUR RECOVERY ——-WE ALL HAVE THEM

BY ARNIEV WEXLER CCGC

DO WE CAVE IN AND MAYBE RELAPSE

DO WE ASK FOR HELP

DO WE STUFF IT INSIDE OR HIDE IT FROM EVERYONE

DO WE LET IT EFFECT OUR RECOVERY

DO WE TALK ABOUT IT IN THE G A ROOM

DO WE TALK TO OUR SPONSOR

DO WE TALK TO OUR SPOUCE / FAMILY

DO WE SEEK PEOPLE WHO HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN TO THEM

DO WE PRAY

DO WE DO NOTHING AND WAIT TILL IT GOES AWAY

DOES OUR EGO SAY WE HAVE THE ANSWER SO WE DONT HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT

DO WE LET IT LAY TILL IT BECOMES A REAL BIG PROBLEM

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GAMBLING IS THE DIRTY LITTLE SECRET ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES,

Monday, 3. September 2012

Written by Arnie Wexler  CCGC

GAMBLING IS THE DIRTY LITTLE SECRET ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES, WHERE IT’S RAMPANT AND PROSPERING. SOME STUDENTS BECOME CONSUMED WITH WAGERING AND GET OVER THEIR HEADS IN DEBT

IN1995 Sports Illustrated Magazine wrote a three part series (April 3,10 &17,1995), titled: “The Campus Gambling Epidemic”. Its a must read even today.

ITS GOTTEN WORSE TODAY ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES
Studies show that there are more than 1 million compulsive gamblers under the age of 25. Every time I speak on a college campus I find that more than 20 % of the students can identify a gambling problem. This is alarming to me, as I am sure it is to you. Athletes are more at risk than the general population because they fit the profile of the potential compulsive gambler. They tend to be competitive, bright,exhibiting unreasonable optimism, and have high levels of energy.

Have you ever wondered how many of the students on any campus are looking for money,today, to pay for a wager they lost? Do you realize that there are students/student athletes who will be placing a bet on your schools games this week? If so, you need to read this article.

 

I, too at one time, found myself urgently in need of finding a way to get money to cover a bet. I am a recovering compulsive gambler who placed my last bet on April 10, 1968 and a Certified Compulsive Gambling Counselor. I have been an advocate for the last 44 years, in the area of helping compulsive gamblers and their families.

 

 

Gambling has become so prevalent that odds and point spreads have become a normal topic of conversation amongst college students.

 

On a blustery winter day in New York, on March 28,1996, there was a panel presentation “Gambling and College Sports, hosted by USA Today and the NCAA. It was three days prior to the Championship Game of the Final Four . I was one of the panelists and said:” Gambling is going on. The next general thing that’s going to happen is a major point shaving scandal. It’s right around the corner and when it happens, you’re going to see college administrators’ say: how could this have happened in our school? The NCAA was nice enough to let me write four articles on compulsive gambling, in the last five years. After these articles were published I’ve never received even one call from a school administrator, coach or athletic director. I have, however, received many calls from students asking for help. Talk about having your head in the sand! “Shortly after this panel the point shaving scandals and gambling by athletes started making headlines in the news.

 

I have been speaking on High School and College campuses since the early 1970′s. I know what kind of problem gambling is for many young people.

 

A Harvard University Medical School study estimated that 4.67% of college students are found to have a gambling problem. If we look at these numbers then we would have to assume that at least this many athletes are effected and vulnerable, just because so many of them have personality traits that tend to lead to compulsive gambling problems.

Some of these traits are:

Unreasonable optimism

High levels of energy

Intelligence

Strong competitive drive

 

 

Let’s look at a study funded by the NCAA of 648 male, Division I basketball and football players who responded. Of the group 25.5% said they gambled on sporting events. Four percent said they bet on events in which they played. Three players admitted that they received money from a gambler for not playing well in a game. I wonder about the 1352 student athletes who did not respond to this survey and why they chose not to.

 

Almost every week I get calls on my hot line (888 LAST BET), receive emails, or meet in person college students who have a gambling problem. Whenever I speak on college campuses I find, roughly 10% of students, have a significant gambling problem. I am very concerned about student athletes who are participating in the Las Vegas Bowl games each year. While in Las Vegas they stay in casino hotels. Every year I read about these students gambling in the casinos even though some of them are underage. What kind of message is the NCAA sending to their students and athletes on the campuses?

 

 

Let me share with you some personal stories I’ve heard over the years, from college students.

Paying someone else to take exams or write papers so as not to interfere with time needed to gamble.

Betting on games they were playing in.

Gambling under age in legal gambling establishments.

Robbing a convenience store and a bank for money to gamble with.

Using fake credit cards, bouncing checks, creating phony checking accounts, to get money for gambling.

Selling drugs and selling their bodies to pay gambling debts.

Stealing things and money from other students.

Selling or pawning things that belonged to the college they were attending.

Shaving points (in high school and in colleges).

Running Bookmaking rings, football pools or card games in college,

Using tuition money for gambling.

Using financial aid or other loans for gambling

Conning their parents to send additional moneys, which was used for gambling.

Stealing cars, items in cars or money from employers for gambling.

Selling personal property (cars, jewelry) for money to gamble with.

Losing a baseball scholarship due to being caught bookmaking in college.

Robbing banks in order to pay gambling debts. (Currently incarcerated)

Losing a basketball scholarship from a Division I school because of gambling.

 

I have spoken with officials of the NCAA and they tell me having a game on TV does not encourage more gambling. I don’t think that this is true. Many gamblers that I have worked with report that they were more likely to bet on a game that they could view, even if they are Division II or III games. The following is a quote from the Las Vegas Review Journal (2/3/01): “Having the games on television boosts the betting.”(MGM Mirage Sports Book Director, Robert Walker).

 

 

 

 

 

The losers on the college campuses are the administrators who ignore the issue of gambling; but the real victims are the students who may become addicted compulsive gamblers because they were not given education or awareness as to what gambling can do to their lives, careers and families. Maybe college administrators should know what students already know. It’s easier to place a bet on any college campus than to buy a pack of cigarettes or a can of beer.

 

 

 

 

 

Prevention and/or early intervention can make the difference between life and death. You can’t expect the NCAA to educate your students on the issues of gambling or compulsive gambling. They are focusing on legal and illegal bookmaking on college sports, point shaving and the integrity of the game as it pertains to their athletes.

 

 

 

Someone needs to step forward and help our young people on campuses around this country.

 

 

 

Adminstrators, Deans, Student Life faculty, fraternities and sororities need to join together and target this number one hidden addiction on college campuses, today. That is why I am appealing to you to make prevention and education about the subject of gambling/compulsive gambling a top priority. This problem effects not only athletes, but students and faculty as well.

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